UNIT 5: DESCRIBING PEOPLE

Famous people
1. Think about two famous people you know.
………………………….. ……………………………...
2. Now describe each person using the prompts below:

Famous person 1 Famous person 2

Nationality
Face
Skin colour
Hair
Age
Build
Height
Famous for…?

3. Work with your partner. Read your description of each famous person without telling your
partner what the person is famous for. Can they guess who it is? If not, give them a clue!

THE NATURE OF DESCRIPTION

Read the model paragraph about Lara Jones. Decide which person is most like Lara. Then
answer the questions.
MY FRIEND LARA
Lara Jones is the best friend I have ever had. She is twenty-two years old and she studies
Psychology in London. She is not English though, in fact she was born in the south of
Australia. Lara is slim and very tall - about 1.80m; I think she is the tallest of all my friends.
She's got long brown wavy hair and pretty brown eyes. She is very charming, in fact; and
boys are always asking her out. Lara loves all kinds of sports and she is very good at them.
She plays golf at least twice a week. She also enjoys riding her bike with her friends and
playing for the university basketball team. She can sing quite well although she doesn't pay
special attention to pop music. She is always willing to visit new places and learn about other
people. She spends most of her holidays abroad travelling with groups of friends. She has an
open personality and is a lot of fun. She is caring and kind and loves animals - last time I saw
her she had I don't know how many pets. She is the one I enjoy talking to and sharing good
moments with.
 a. Which sentence is the topic sentence?
b. Which sentences tell about Lara’s appearance?
c. Which sentences tell about Lara’s hobbies?
d. Which sentences tell about Lara’s personality?
e. Which sentence is the summary sentence?
ORGANIZATION
ACTIVITY 1: Look at the people around you, classmates, teachers, friends and relatives and
write sentences that apply to them, similar to the ones in the following examples.
1. Physical description
 My sister's very pretty, with green eyes and long black hair.
 John is about 1.75 metre tall and weighs 75 kilograms.
 Maria has short curly hair and beautiful black eyes.
 Miguel is rather slim and short but very good looking.
2. Character and personality
 Sonia is a lot of fun and has a wonderful sense of humour.
 My friend Maria is very responsible and polite. My mother loves her.
 Susan is not only intelligent but also very hard-working.
3. Hobbies and abilities.
 Danny loves skiing and playing basketball.
 John can speak two foreign languages and he can speak a little Spanish.
 She can't swim very well but she's learning very quickly.
ACTIVITY 2: When you have finished activity 1, try putting some of them together and
write a complete description of someone you know. Here's more vocabulary you may use:
Characters & Hobbies /
Physical characteristics
Personality Abilities
height short, average height, tall a lot of fun She is fond of
build small, average build funny/serious dancing.
age around 25, in his 30s shy/noisy He likes collecting
face square, round, plain, wide outgoing stamps.
hair short, long pleasant She can sing very
straight, wavy, curly, a ponytail rude/polite well.
grey, blond, light/dark brown, black sympathetic …………………

complexion light, white, olive-skinned self-confident …………………

eyes green, blue, brown, black aggressive …………………

beautiful, big ……………….. …………………

clothes casual, sloppily-dressed, smartly – dressed, ……………….

well-dressed ………………

general beautiful, pretty, handsome, sexy, cute,

good looking

* Can you think of any more words?

LANGUAGE FOCUS: Modifiers
Here are a few words and expressions that can be very useful when we are describing a
person or object. They help us to express the degree or extent of the quality described by the
adjective they precede. Let's have a look at some examples:
+++ really . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Her hair is really long; I love it.
very . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John is a very happy boy -always smiling.
rather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Her eyes are rather small but her face is very pretty altogether.
quite (a) . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . Yesterday it was quite a warm day. (not a quite warm day)
not very . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary is not very intelligent, but she works so hard.
a little/ a bit .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . She is a bit shy, don't you think?
--- not ... at all .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . My cousin is not poor at all. He's got a lot of money.
When we talk about colours, there are two other words that can be used to modify the
quality of the colours, giving us the opportunity to express ourselves with more property.
light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . She had beautiful light blue eyes.
dark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Her hair was dark brown, but not as dark as yours.

Practice 1: Read these descriptions. What are the missing words? Write is or has. Then
match the descriptions with the pictures

a. She is around 20. She is tall, slim and

beautiful. She …….long straight black
hair.

b. He .......... average height and average

build. He .......... a ponytail. He ..........
handsome.

c. She .......... really cute. She ..........

medium length, wavy hair, and big
beautiful eyes.

d. She .......... around 60. She ..........

short curly hair, and wears glasses.

e. He ……. in his late forties. He …… a

round face and a beard. He ….. chubby.

f. He .......... a wide face and a dark

complexion. He .......... very muscular.
Practice 2: Write a physical description of the people in the pictures.

Person 1: He is in his 20s. He is tall and has a fit body. He has a black skin color with a short
black hair. He wears a plaid shirt, brown pants and white shoes.
Person 2: He is average height and looks quite chubby. He looks around 40 years old. He is
bald and has a a fair skin. He dresses formally with a blue suit and black leather shoes.

Practice 3: Write a summary sentence for the following paragraph about David Beckham.
Share your sentence with other students and decide whether the sentences restate, summarize,
predict, or suggest / advise.

David Beckham
David Beckham, David Beckham, David Beckham. That’s all anyone can talk about
these days–especially the ladies. He is well – known for not only his good looks but also
his athletic ability. His manly face attracts other people. The next important component of
the David Beckham’s looks is his hair which is generally blonde with a sexy tousled look.
David has also been known to shave

his head down to just stubble. Besides, David Beckham is a

celebrity with his own style which is varied and always trendy. His fashion runs the gamut
from soccer jersey and shorts to high fashion with designer label. David Beckham became
a famous soccer player in the late 1990s, and by 2003 was the most recognizable athlete in
the world. He was a popular first in England for Manchester United and then in Spain for
Real Madrid. Beckham is a valuable player because he can take dangerous free kicks and
pass the ball long distances. He is not only a talented player but also a fantastic leader. He
led his country, England, in the 2002 World Cup where they only lost to Brazil. His fans
also respect him because he is a very hard worker on the field and on the training ground
……………………………….……………………………..……..……………………..
…………………………..……………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….

 Outine:
- Topic sentence: David Beckham, David Beckham, David Beckham. That’s all
anyone can talk about these days–especially the ladies.
- Supporting sentences:
+) Appearance: good looks (manly face, blond hair), trendy fashion style
+) Job: famous soccer player
+) Talent: take dangerous free kicks and pass the ball long distances
+) Personality: Hardworking
 - Concluding sentence: he is multi-talented person and has a amazing personality
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
Choose one of the following topics and write a descriptive paragraph.
 you yourself
 a relative / member of your family
 a movie / music star
 a friend
 an important person to you

Crossword puzzle: Clothes

UNIT 6: DESCRIBING PLACES

Match the idioms with their meanings:

IDIOMS MEANINGS
1. few and far between a. a place where there are lots of things happening, and everyone
is very busy
2. hive of activity b. a place which is right in the centre
3. middle of nowhere c. a place which is rarely found
4. on the map d. a place which is in a remote area, far from towns, villages or
houses
5. smack dab in the middle e. a place which becomes very well known

THE NATURE OF DESCRIPTION

1. Model
As you read the description from a travel brochure, circle the adjectives.
Niagara Falls
 Niagara Falls, straddling the international
border between the Canadian province of
Ontario and the U.S. state of New York, is a
popular destination for thousands of visitors
each year. When you stand at the edge and look
down at the 188 feet of waterfalls, you feel
amazed at the power of nature. The tree-lined
river that leads into the falls is fast-moving,
pouring over the edge of the falls and crashing
to the bottom in a loud roar. If you want to
experience the falls close up, go for a boat ride.
You will come near enough to look up at the
roaring streams of water flowing over the edge
and feel the cool mist that rises as the water hits
the rocks below. Seeing Niagara Falls is an
unforgettable experience!
Questions:
 Where is Niagara Falls?
 What things can you see in this place?
 How does the place make you feel?

ACTIVITY 1:
With a partner, list some words to describe these places. Add them to the following list:

Shape & size Atmosphere How you feel Appearance

large / small cosy amazed colourful
wide / narrow comfortable happy unforgettable
rectangular warm / cool nostalgic attractive
round cold / hot excited beautiful
…………………….. …………………….. …………………….. ……………………..
…………………….. …………………….. …………………….. ……………………..

a.
 b.

PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS
2. Descriptive order
In a place description, writers often use spatial order to organize their ideas. Spatial order is
the arrangement of items in order by space. For example, when describing your favourite
room at home, you could first describe things on the left side of the doorway and then move
clockwise around to the right side. You could also start on the right and move
counterclockwise around to the left. If you jump back and forth, it would be very difficult for
the reader to try to see the room in his or her mind.
ACTIVITY 2: Each of the following sentences could be the topic sentence of a descriptive
paragraph.
Step 1: Discuss with your group some possible details that describe the place.
Step 2: Decide on the best kind of spatial order to use in the description: right to left, left to
right, top to bottom, far to near, outside to inside, etc.
Step 3: Write your details on the lines below in spatial order.
TS 1: After my sister has spent two hours getting ready for a date, her room looks as if it has
been hit by a magnitude 8.5 earthquake.
a. From the doorway, you see nothing but a mountain of clothes all over the floor.
b. ……………………………………………………………………………………………...
c. ………………………………………………………………………………………………
d. ………………………………………………………………………………………………
TS 2: The park near my house is full of activity on a sunny weekend afternoon.
a. ………………………………………………………………………………………………
b. ……………………………………………………………………………………………...
c. ………………………………………………………………………………………………
d. ………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. Spatial order words and phrases

Prepositional phrases of location or position tell us how a space is organized. Some
common and useful spatial order expressions are:

in front of / behind in the middle of

on top of / on the bottom of around
next to between
above / below, underneath inside
in back of across from
to the right of / to the left of …………………………
……………………………. …………………………
……………………………. …………………………

WRITNG THE DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH

Stage 1: Pre-write to get ideas
ACTIVITY 3: Choose one of the topics below. In five minutes, make a list of ideas. Share
your list with a partner.
 A place from my childhood
 A favorite place to relax
 A place that is special to me
 An interesting city
 The view from my window

ACTIVITY 4: Edit your list by crossing out unrelated ideas or ones you don’t like. Show
your partner what you crossed out, and explain your decisions.
Stage 2: Organize the ideas
Decide what kind of spatial order will work the best for your description: left to right, far
to near, etc.
Stage 3: Write the rough draft
4. The topic sentence
You might begin your paragraph with a topic sentence that tells what place you are going
to write about and give a general impression.
Example: The corner of the library where I study is my favourite place.

ACTIVITY 5: Write the topic sentence of the paragraph on the topic you have chosen.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………..

5. The subject development

Take care to use the correct verb tenses. Use the present continuous tense if you want to
tell about the activities that are happening in the place you are describing.
Use some of your sentences with prepositional phrases of place to show the spatial
organization.
Sentences about similar topics can often be combined. To make more varied and
interesting sentences, you can combine the adjectives in two sentences with and or but.

ACTIVITY 6: Work with a partner to complete the paragraph below and make it better. First,
make a list of details you could add to the paragraph. This is an imaginary place, so use your
imagination!

A horrible hotel
……………………………………………………………………………………
The rooms are small. The rooms are dark. The rooms are dirty. There is no air-
conditioning. The rooms are hot in summer. There is no heating. The rooms are
cold in winter. There are big windows. The view is
terrible. .................................................................
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
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……………………………………………………………………………………
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……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
That is why I want to warn you never to stay in that hotel.

6. The summary sentence

ACTIVITY 7: Read this paragraph that describes someone’s favorite place. Write the
summary sentence.

My favourite place to relax is a small cafe’ down the street from where I live.
This cafe’ is on a small side street and as soon as you see it, you feel like going
in. There are three windows on either side of the door. And each window has a
small window box with brightly coloured flowers. There is a small wooden door
that opens into the cafe’, and as you go in, you can see a dozen small tables all
around the room. Even though it isn’t a big place, its size makes it very cosy and
comfortable. I always like to sit at the small table in the corner near the front
windows. From here, I can look at the artwork on the walls and at the pretty
green plants hanging from the ceiling.
...................................................
……………………………...........................................................................................................
...................................

Stage 4: Revise and edit

Revise and edit the rough draft, using the following checklist:

Questions Comments
 FORMAT
1. Is the format correct?
(the title, indenting, margins, and double
spacing)
ORGANIZATION
2. Does the paragraph use spatial order?
GRAMMAR & MECHANICS
3. Is there a period at the end of each
sentence?
4. Are capital letters used where necessary?
5. Are commas used correctly?
6. Are the tenses used appropriately?

SENTENCE STRUCTURE
7. Does the writing contain both simple and
compound sentences?
8. Are the compound sentences punctuated
correctly?
Stage 5: Write the final draft
WRITING ASSIGNMENT
Write a paragraph in which you describe your class room, living space, ideal house,
hometown, etc.
Plan your paragraph carefully before you begin writing. Then write a rough draft –
revising as you write. When you have finished, share your writing with one or more students
in your class. What do they think? Are there any points that they think are unclear? How can
you better communicate your ideas?

UNIT 7: SUMMARIES

Activity 1: Making notes

The first stage in preparing a summary is to decide which items of information are most
important. Now, read the article below and make a note of the main points.

How serious is the Problem of Unemployment

In most European countries, unemployment was low for many years after the Second
World War, and the bitter memories of parents and grandparents who had been out of work
for long periods in the 1930s gradually faded from people’s minds. But in recent years it has
once again become a serious problem.
How serious the problem is depends on one’s perspective, in particular when it
becomes a question of blaming someone for it. Newspapers usually quote the number of
people “unemployed” as a percentage of the registered working population. On the basis of
these figures alone, they make comparisons with past experience and also between different
countries. Such simplified calculations do not take into account technological development
that has made a large number of unskilled jobs unnecessary. Apart from that, they do not
allow for the increase over the past fifty years in the number of people who want to work or
the effect of different social attitudes.
When we compare our unemployment figures with those of the 1930s, we must
remember that far more women work nowadays, and consequently register as unemployed if
they lose their jobs, so governments have a greater task and responsibility. International
comparisons are complicated by the fact that the number of women who are registered
varies from one country to another. In Denmark, almost as many women are registered as
men; in other Common Market countries only half as many. It is therefore more difficult for
the Danish government to provide jobs for everyone and its record in international terms is
better than it appears.
Comparisons between countries are also unreliable because of the percentage of
people who are not registered. Are they housewives or students? In West Germany, most
young people stay at school until they are 18; more of those not registered are likely to be
students than in other countries in the Common Market, and they will not count in the
unemployment figures.
For these reasons, comparisons with the past and with other countries are unfair.
Yet in human terms, although this places more responsibility on governments in countries
where everyone wants to work, the percentages quoted by the newspapers are the only
reliable measure of a government’s success in dealing with the problem of unemployment.
The question a government must always face is: “How many people in this country at this
point in time want to work but cannot find jobs?”

Activity 2: Work in pairs and decide which of the following best expresses the meaning of
each of the five paragraphs in the article:
1 a Unemployment is as serious a problem today as it was in the 1930s.
b Unemployment is once again a serious problem.
2 a Newspapers simplify the problem of unemployment because they do not take all
the relevant factors into account.
b Newspapers deliberately distort the true facts about unemployment in order to
blame governments.
3 a The main reason for unemployment today is that so many women go out to work.
b Comparisons with the past do not take into account the number of women
working today.
4 a Nobody knows how many of the people not registered are students.
b The difference in school-leaving age also makes international comparisons
unreliable.
5 a Nevertheless, a government’s success in dealing with unemployment must be
 measured in terms of the number of people who want to work and cannot.
b Nevertheless, it is a government’s duty to find jobs for everyone.

Activity 3:
Which of the following summaries best expresses the meaning of the passage? Give reasons
for your answer. 2: tìm ý chính các đoạn -> key words trong đoạn-> ghép lại

SUMMARY WRITING
Summary writing involves specific skills such as the following:
 Selection – This means choosing the key information by making some notes that
provides the whole picture of the text.

 Condensation – This means reducing the length of the given information while
preserving the important points. This can be done by omitting unimportant details, or
using single words to replace phrases or clauses.

 Reorganization or rearrangement – This means taking the given information and

arranging it in a different way.

 Paraphrasing or restatement – This means saying something in a different way,

without changing the meaning.

There are many ways to write a summary. However, the following way may be useful: You
should list/underline all the important facts. Next, you connect all the points in prose form to
make a smooth and natural summary.
Model

SAD
When winter arrives, some people get sad, even suicidal.
Doctors have recently started to study the causes of a medical disorder which they have appropriately named
SAD, or seasonal affective disorder. People who suffer from sad become very depressed during the winter months.
Their depression appears to be the result of a decrease in the amount of sunlight they are exposed to. Doctors
theorize that decreased sunlight affects the production of melatonin, a hormone manufactured in brain and
serotonin, a chemical that helps transmit nerve impulses. Depression may result from the ensuing imbalance of
these two substances in the body. Also, doctors believe that a decrease in the amount of sunlight the body
receives may cause a disturbance in the body’s natural clock which could, in turn, result in symptoms such as
listlessness, oversleeping, weight gain, anxiety, and irritability – all symptoms of depression.
Since absence of light seems to be the cause of this disorder, a daily exposure to light appears to be the cure.
Doctors advise patients to sit in front of a special light box which simulates natural light for a few hours every day.
In conclusion, this revelation may help explain the high suicide rate of the Scandinavian countries, and more
importantly, it may suggest a remedy when the days grow short, turn on the lights.

Summary

During winter months, some people get depressed and even kill themselves. Doctors have recently found that lack
of sunlight is the cause as it affects the production of a hormone called melatonin in the brain, and a chemical
called serotonin that helps transmit nerve impulses. Also, lack of sunlight disturbs the body’s natural clock, which
could cause all symptoms of depression such as irritability, listlessness, anxiety, etc. As a cure for this disease,
doctors advise people to get exposed to as much light as they can and to turn their lights when winter comes.

More practice: Make a summary of the following passage.

Many high school students faced with a long vacation in the heat of summer, look for jobs to undertake until the
classroom calls again. If for no other reasons, these jobs are useful to them because after the months spent within
four walls, facing the same blackboard, maps, and faces, they provide the opportunity for a refreshing change of
atmosphere and environment. A job selling Christmas cards behind the counter in a large city store may be just as
effective as a trip to the country in dispelling the tension that many feel at the end of the year. But jobs are not
available merely because they provide a change of scenery; the financial gains they allow are major considerations
to people who, because they are not regularly employed, are unable to call upon any resources except the
charitable grants of parents and the generous donations of rich uncles or benevolent grandparents. While working,
the students will meet people the like of whom they have never encountered before, and they will quickly learn
the truth that no two people are exactly the same. Some, they will find , are pleasant and friendly, tolerant of their
mistakes and ready to assist the novice probing in largely unfamiliar world; others will prove to be surly,
uncooperative, unable to take a joke and impatient with inadequacy. But after months of facing printed pages,
students will find that even these will not lack interest. It may happen that, in spite of all the minor tribulations, a
student will discover in his temporary job, the work which he desires to make his permanent employment. Should
this happen, a brief time filling occupation will have become an unwitting piece of vocational guidance. He who
sweeps the floor in the Christmas rush may well be a branch manager twenty years later.

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
1. Summarize the following passage in not more than 120 words. List the main points of the
argument and the writer’s proposals, ignoring details, and construct your summary from
the notes you have made.
2. Read the passage below on Rural Tourism, make notes on it to summarise the
advantages and disadvantages.
Johnson (1971) has listed two major advantages of tourism in rural areas. The first is
economic: tourism creates employment. The jobs are mainly in the travel industry, hotels,
guest houses, restaurants and cafes. However, visitors spend their money in a variety of ways
which affect other jobs indirectly. For example, by buying local souvenirs and gifts, tourists
help to support local shops. The second advantage of tourism is the support that the income
provides for local services and amenities. Because large numbers of visitors use the local
buses etc. it makes it possible to keep these buses running for local people.
As well as advantages there are also three main disadvantage of tourism (Walker, 1982).
The first is erosion of the countryside by so many people: paths, grass and other areas of
vegetation and woodland get worn away. In addition, tourist traffic causes congestion and
obstruction and delays local people doing their work. Finally, an influx of tourists causes
pollution problems in many areas. The pollution can take many forms but the main ones are
the exhaust fumes of vehicles which pollute the atmosphere, and the litter that people leave
behind, such as tin cans, plastic and paper, and bottles.
UNIT 8 INFORMAL LETTERS

SAMPLE INFORMAL LETTERS

ACTIVITY 1: Here are some short letters between friends or acquaintances. Discuss
with your partner to decide the purpose of writing each letter.
INFORMAL LETTER PURPOSES
Informal letters are to a friend or a person you know. Informal letters usually have one or
more of the following purposes:
- to thank
- to send greetings or express your feelings about some occasions or event
- to apologize
- to invite
 - to make arrangements
- to give news
- to request news
- to accompany enclosed material (photos, gifts, etc.)
- to make or renew contact with someone
INFORMAL LETTER FORMAT

Address: Write your address.

Date: Write the date.

Greeting: Use the person's first name.

First  Write something about you

paragraph:
 Don't write things they know about you
Middle:  Remember why you are writing the letter
o describe an event, place
o ask for information or help
o persuade someone to do something
o pass on information or instructions 

 Write about this.

Last  Say again what the letter is about
paragraph:
 Say what you want
Ending:
  or or others
Name: Write your first name.

INFORMAL LETTER LAYOUT

ACTIVITY 2: Look at the letters again and complete a letter outline like the one below
with examples of what you can say to open a letter and to close it. Add any other phrases
you can think of.

INFORMAL LETTER OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS

ACTIVITY 3: Which endings are suitable for an informal letter?

love yours sincerely best wishes

all my love see you soon regards
yours faithfully bye for now love and kisses

Which of the following could be used in an informal letter?

 Dear Peter,
X

Dear Pat,
Lots of
love,

Dear Mrs Lovette, Dear Sir,

Yours Yours
sincerely, faithfully,
Hello Jane,
Lots

WRITING PRACTICE
ACTIVITY 4: Which expressions below are suitable for an informal letter? Match them with
the following kinds of letter.
Types of letter Expressions
1. Giving news a. Thank you for inviting me to…….
2. Inviting b. Please find enclosed a cheque for …….
3. Accepting an invitation c. George and I are having a party on Saturday, and we’d love
4. Thank-you letter you to come.
d. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
e. Just a quick look note to say thank you.
 f. Sorry I haven’t written for so long, but I’ve been terribly
busy.
g. I’d love to come. See you then.
h. Could I please have a receipt?
i. Give my regards to……
j. Let us know if you can come……….
k. It was lovely to see you again after so long.
l. You were very kind to send me a brochure of holiday
cottages.

ACTIVITY 5: (Group work)

Write a “thank you” letter.
Copy the phrases below on to a piece of paper leaving plenty of space after each line. Write a
name after “Dear” (perhaps someone in the class or a famous person). Fold the paper over at
the top and pass it on. Complete the next sentence on the paper that you receive (you can
write anything you like) and then fold it over and pass it on. Continue until you finish all the
sentences. Pass the papers on twice more, open them up and read out your letter to the class.

Dear …
Just a note to say thanks very much for …
It was …
I…
I hope …
Anyway, …
Best wishes,

ACTIVITY 6: Choose one of these letters and write it out in full. Use some of the
expressions in activity 4.
 Giving news
Write to an English friend. Give news of a recent holiday you had. Say where you went, who
with, and what you did. Give some news about what you are doing at the moment, and how
your family is.
 Inviting
Invite a friend to come to stay at your house for a weekend. Suggest some dates. Say what
you'd like to do during the weekend. Suggest how the friend could travel, and offer to meet
him/her.
 Accepting an invitation
Reply to the invitation above. Your friend has invited you to come to stay for a weekend.
Accept the invitation, and say thank you. Give some information about how you'll travel, and
when you expect to arrive.
 Thank-you letter
The parents of a friend of yours lent you their house in the country for a week. Write to them
to thank them. Say how kind they were, and describe what you did during the week's holiday

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
1. You are going on holiday to Australia. A friend who you haven’t seen for a long time
lives there. Write and tell him or her that you are coming and that you will get in
touch when you arrive so that perhaps you can meet. (Say when you are coming,
where you will stay and how long for.)

2. Some friends of a friend are coming to live in your area. You are sending them some
leaflets about your town. Briefly tell them what it is like living there and say that you
hope that they will get in touch with you when they arrive.

3. Some friends came to stay with you last week and you have just found a pair of socks
and a left shoe under their bed. You think (but you are not sure) that the things belong
to them. Also, you have lost a jumper and you think that they might have taken it by
mistake. Write and ask them. (Describe the shoe and socks and your jumper.)

FORMAL LETTERS
ACTIVITY 1: How much do you know about writing a formal letter?
Work with your partner to answer the questionnaire.

FORMAL LETTER LANGUAGE QUESTIONNAIRE

1 Which of the following is used to start a very formal letter?

A Dear John
B Hi Suzy
C My Dear Elaine
D Dear Sir or Madam

2 Which of the following is a way of starting a formal letter?

A Thank you for your letter dated 26th August 2005.

B Thanks for your letter, it was great to hear from you.
C Thank you for your letter about...
D Thanks for dropping me a line...

3 Which would be a suitable way to introduce bad news in a formal way?

A I feel really bad about this but...

B I'm sorry to have to break the bad news but...
C I regret to inform you...
D I'm so sorry about...

4 Which of the following is an expression suitable for a formal letter?

A Regards to Jane
B Please give my regards to Jane
C Say hi to Jane
D Give Jane my best wishes

5 Which of the following is NOT a suitable final sentence for a formal letter?

A I look forward to hearing from you soon.

B Hope to see you soon.
C Looking forward to a swift response.
D Looking forward to meeting you.

6 Which of the following is NOT a suitable way to end a formal letter?

A Yours faithfully
B Yours sincerely
C Best wishes
D Love

FORMAL LETTER LAYOUT

ACTIVITY 2: Look at the letter layout and fill in the blanks with the correct headings.

(a) Date (e) Sender’s address

(b) Body (f) Recipient’s name and address
(c) Signature (g) Salutation
(d) Complimentary closing

Road
(1) …………… Torquay
Devon
TQ6 1RS

(2) …………… 22 January 2010

The Secretary
Hall School of Design
39 Beaumont Street (3) ……………
London
W4 4LJ
(5) ……………

Dear Sir/Madam (4) ……………

I should be grateful if you would send me information about the regulation

for admission to the Hall School of Design. Could you also tell me whether
the school arranges accommodation for students?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully (6) ……………

(7) ……………
Cary Harmon

FORMAL LETTER OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS

How you close a letter depends on how you open it.
Dear Sir
 Dear Madam Yours faithfully
Dear Sir/Madam

Dear Mr …
Dear Mrs … Yours sincerely
Dear Ms …

Dear Hellen
Dear Mohammed Best wishes
Dear Peter

ACTIVITY 3: Write the missing openings and closings in the provided space.
1. Ms W. Foster 4. The Editor
35 Mount Hill Daily News
Woverton London
Dear …………………………. ………………………………
Yours ………………………... ….…………………………..
2. Dear Marie 5. Dear Roger
………………………………. ……………………………….
3. Ronco Beds Ltd 6. The Manageress
67 Main Road Pancho’s Restaurant
Jacksonville Buxton
………………………………. ………………………………
………………………………. ….…………………………
REGISTER

In a formal letter,
Avoid contractions when possible
for example: I am instead of I'm
Use the present simple instead of the present continuous when possible
for example: I look forward to our meeting instead of I am looking forward . . .
Use the conditional
for example: I would like to visit your farm instead of I want to visit your farm
Use less colloquial English
for example: I'm really interested instead of I am most interested
Construct indirect, impersonal sentences
for example: It would be a good idea . . . instead of I think it's a good idea . . .

ACTIVITY 4: Which of the following expressions are formal (F)? Which are informal (I)?
1. a. I'm terribly sorry not to have written sooner but . . .
b. I apologize for the delay in replying to your letter …
2. a. I would be most grateful if you could . . .
 b. It would be nice if you could . . .
3. a. Thanks for your last letter…
b. Thank you for your letter of 15 January.
4. a. Would it be possible to telephone me soon?
b. Phone me as soon as possible.
5. a. Would it be alright if I came at 7 p.m.?
b. Would it be convenient if I arrived at 7 p.m.?
6. a. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
b. I'm looking forward to hearing from you soon.
7. a. I would very much appreciate an early reply.
b. Please reply quickly.
8. a. It would be a good idea to . . .
b. May I suggest that we . . .
9. a. Unfortunately, I won't be able to come.
b. I regret that I am unable to attend.
10. a. I will send all the details.
b. I'll let you know all the details.
ACTIVITY 5

Formal letters often contain words or expressions that are not common in everyday speech.
Match the formal words with their informal expressions.

1. previous a. thank you

2. assistance b. in payment
3. in settlement c. send
4. at your earliest convenience d. said, wrote
5. advise e. stop
6. cancel f. end
7. grateful g. help
8. acknowledge receipt h. money paid back
9. forward i. let me know you have received
10. correspondence j. quick
11. cooperation k. included in the envelope
12. stated l. the one before
13. refund m. tell, inform
14. prompt n. as soon as possible
15. enclosed o. help
p. letters

USEFUL LANGUAGE
 Sample Sentences: Requests
Could you please send me your most recent brochure?
Could you fax me the results of the market survey?
I would like to order ten copies of the book, Touchy Situations.
I would be very grateful if you could send me this information.
Please return the enclosed envelope with your payment.
 Sample Sentences: Response to request
Thank you for your interest/inquiry
Enclosed is the information you requested.
You can learn more about this at . . .
If you have further questions,
If you require assistance, please contact:
 Sample Sentences: Goodwill
Thank you for your hospitality.
I enjoyed having lunch with you last week while I was in New York.
Congratulations on your promotion to General Manager.
I was happy to hear that contract negotiations went well.
 Sample Sentences: Introduction of Product/Service
I am writing to tell you about . . .
(Our new product) is coming out next month.
This product/service is designed to (help you) . . .
 Sample Sentences: Confirmation
I am writing to confirm . . .
I would like to confirm what we discussed last Friday.
I would just like to confirm the main points we discussed . . .
 Sample Sentences: Notification
I am writing to let you know that . . .
Please be aware / informed that . . .
I am happy to inform…
Your request for funding has been approved.
WRITING PRACTICE
ACTIVITY 6: Arrange the parts below to make a complete letter.
1. I am interested in Package D (the 20 day trek in Nepal)
2. Yours faithfully
3. We look forwards to your confirmation of our booking as soon as possible.
4. Thank you for your information you sent about Himalayan Expedition Holidays.
5. We would prefer the Sept. 20th departure date, with a second choice of Oct.15th.
6. I would like to make a definite booking for two people.
7. Dear Sir/ Madam,
8. Himalayan Expedition Holidays
88 Queen Street,
Perth
ACTIVITY 7. Rewrite this letter to make it more formal.
Hello Karl
Just a quick note to confirm that I ’m coming to Berlin on May 5 and I’ll stay
there until May 7th . I hope we can meet to discuss our production requirements
for next year. Please let me know when it would suit you.
See you soon
Chris

ACTIVITY 8. Choose one of the situations below and write an appropriate letter.
a. You are about to move house. You write to the bank telling them your new address.
(Use the name and address of your own bank)
b. You write to the local real estate agent outlining a number of repairs that need to be
done to your flat or house. (To Mr. Bartlett and Peterson Real Estate, 25 Stanley Ave,
Brompton)
c. You write a thank-you letter to your local council, thanking them for the fine work
they have done in establishing a part in your suburb. (To Brighton Municipal Council,
Town Hall, Brighton)

WRITING ASSIGNMENT
Now write short letters for each of these. Lay them out correctly. (See the letter in activity 2
for example)
1. Write to the company named Digital World to ask for a new catalogue of cameras.
2. Write to KF Electronics to confirm that you have received your refrigerator as
requested.
3. Write to a customer to advertise a new mobile phone model of your company